


And A Baby Warlock Makes Three!

by Aria_Lerendeair



Series: Facing the Fear of Forever [11]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Adoption, Adoption conversations, Fluff, Insecurity, M/M, The Lightwood-Banes - Freeform, adorableness, cuteness, parent malec, relationship fears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:01:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25343632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria_Lerendeair/pseuds/Aria_Lerendeair
Summary: Alec has turned down two adoption offers on Max, because he can't bear to let him go yet.  He's not sure he ever wants to let Max go, but that's something he has to... to figure out.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Facing the Fear of Forever [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1727038
Comments: 32
Kudos: 383





	And A Baby Warlock Makes Three!

**Author's Note:**

> This is the final installment, set a year (approximately) after Magnus comes back. 
> 
> ...I can't believe this is the last piece. Holy cow. Almost 70,000 words later and this verse is finally complete!! (At least in terms of all my planned installments!) 
> 
> I can't promise this is done forever, but it is at the very least done for now. I hope that you all enjoy this piece of truly SHAMELESS fluff to end off what has been one of the angstiest series I have ever written. Seemed fitting to end it here. 
> 
> A little author note - The ending to this fic, how it ends, is something that I knew, and had written out, from the very start of the first fic. I didn't know how I was going to get there, but I knew that it was going to end there.

Alec hung up the phone with a sigh and sat back in his chair, closing his eyes.  _ Fuck. _ He needed to stop doing this. He needed to. He'd made himself a promise when he had opened up the Home and here he was, going against all of that, all because it felt like the right thing to do. 

He pushed his fingers through his hair and sighed, glad that he didn't have anything else on his calendar for the day. He could go visit the kids, and see Max and... Alec winced again.  _ Dammit.  _ He was going to have to give Max up at some point. Especially because he knew Magnus was attached - Magnus had never had to let go of any of the babies before, and even though Elle, Emily, and Em had been adopted two months ago by a wonderful warlock couple from Fresno, Max was different. Max  _ felt _ different. 

Alec sighed again and levered himself out of his chair and headed for the door of his office. Even if he wanted to keep Max, it wasn't like he could make that decision without Magnus. He didn't  _ want _ to make that decision without Magnus, not to mention talking to the other kids, because they were going to have feelings about that too. 

It was such a mess, and damn if he didn't know exactly what to do about it. 

Alec headed to the classroom that Magnus had finally buckled and helped him to build three months ago - a formal training room he could use for the young warlocks, and opened the door, slipping in. Magnus was mid-lecture on warding theory, with Madzie demonstrating the concepts, and Alec leaned against the back wall until Magnus called for a break. 

He waited until all of the kids had thundered their way outside into the yard, before he turned to Magnus and Madzie. Magnus had already picked Max up from where he had been sitting in his doorway bouncer, bouncing away like he had truly endless amounts of energy. Alec waved to Madzie as she headed towards the backyard as well and approached Magnus, even as he watched Magnus pick up Max, kissing his nose and then his forehead between his horns. 

His heart clenched at the sight and the impossible wave of longing that went through him. This was part of the  _ problem. _ That was everything that he wanted. Everything that he ever could have dreamed of wanting, right there, just like that. Alec took a deep breath and waited for both of them to turn to him, even as Max nestled in against Magnus' neck. 

"Alexander?" Magnus asked, pausing. He didn't recognize the expression on Alec's face that was gone a second later. "Is everything all right?" 

Alec reached out and drew Magnus into his arms, careful to keep Max cradled gently between them. He pressed his face against Magnus' hair and gave a shaky inhale, remembering abruptly this was exactly how they had started over. Sharing a soft kiss in the backyard with Max between them. Max had been there for every milestone of what they'd rebuilt together, and maybe that was why he was finding it so hard to let go. 

"Alec?" Magnus repeated, his voice softer, even as Alec's arms around him tightened. Max squirmed a little in his arms, but eventually settled with a small yawn. "Darling, are you okay?" 

"I'm fine," Alec whispered, even though he was anything but. How could he tell Magnus what he wanted? Were they even ready for something like that? Could it mess up everything that they were now? It'd been decades since they'd discussed wanting to  _ maybe _ look at having a family together and what that would mean. There was no guarantee that Magnus would even want the same things, now. 

Magnus hummed and reached out, rubbing his hand up and down Alec's back. "I know you better than that, darling. Tell me what's really wrong? I'm here, and I promise I'll help with whatever it is." 

Alec swallowed and took a shuddering deep breath. "I, I have to ask you something. And, and I promise there isn't a wrong answer, Magnus, but..." 

"Alexander," Magnus interrupted, his voice soft. "It's okay. Ask whatever it is." 

Alec pulled back and met Magnus' golden eyes, pressing their foreheads together, his eyes drifting down to look at Max. "I've received two adoption offers for Max." 

Magnus took a step back, his eyes wide, his arms curling protectively around Max before he opened his mouth to say that no, he couldn't, before he remembered himself. He paused and looked down at Max, curled carefully against his chest and he closed his eyes, trying to keep his breathing slow and steady. Alec had done this more than a dozen times. He'd have to learn to do the same. 

"Does it ever get easier?" Magnus whispered, opening his eyes again to look at Alec. "Giving them up?" 

Alec smiled sadly and shook his head. "No, it doesn't. It's always worth it, but it's never easy to let them go. Even the ones that fight you the whole time." 

Magnus took a deep, shuddering breath, reaching up to brush a tear away from his eye before it could fall as he stared down at the sleeping baby in his arms. "How, how long before they come to, to pick him up?" 

Alec swallowed, taking another deep breath. "I, Magnus, that's actually what I-" 

"I want to be able to say goodbye, you know," Magnus admitted, looking down at the precious bundle in his arms, another tear sliding down his cheek. "Tell him how much he's going to love his new home, and that he'll be so happy with whoever is adopting him." 

_ "Magnus," _ Alec interrupted, stepping closer to his husband, blinking hard. He reached out to touch Magnus' arm and then Max's hair, stroking through the blue strands easily, like he had a hundred, thousand times over. "I made myself a promise when I first opened the home. That I wouldn't adopt any of the kids, because then I'd adopt all of them." 

Magnus blinked hard, fighting back more tears, even as he watched Alec stare at Max and he knew he wasn't missing the love in his eyes. "I know," he whispered. "I know, Alexander." 

Alec stepped in close again and dropped his hand to Magnus' waist, tugging him in again, until Max and Magnus were safely in the circle of his arms again, his heart aching in the best possible way. "But I have a problem." 

Magnus' eyes flew open and he looked up at Alec worriedly. "Problem? What's wrong? Are the parents unsuitable? Do they live somewhere unsafe? Or have-" 

"Magnus," Alec interrupted, reaching out to press his fingers to Magnus' lips. "Stop, let me finish, just for a second." 

Magnus nodded and kissed Alec's fingers, returning to rest his forehead against Alec's neck. "Sorry," he whispered. 

"Two different sets of parents have applied to be Max's parents," Alec started, shifting just enough to meet Magnus' eyes. "The problem is that I've turned the both of them down." 

Magnus frowned, his nose wrinkled. "You're allowed to turn down anyone you don't deem fit for the kids, Alec, I don't see why that's a problem." 

"Because both of them were fit. And they are welcome to adopt any of the kids. I lied and told them Max wasn't ready," Alec whispered, biting on his lower lip. "Even though he is." 

Magnus blinked and looked down at Max, and then back up to Alec in confusion. "But...why?" 

Alec dropped his arms from around Magnus and carefully cupped his face, bringing him closer so he could press their foreheads together. "Because, Magnus. When I look at you holding him I not only see the future I want, I see the family I want in it." 

Magnus' eyes widened and he stared at Alec, his mouth falling open. "You..." 

"I turned them both down because I don't want to let Max go," Alec whispered. "And I don't know what to do. This is a decision we have to make together, I don't know what I'm going to tell the other kids, I don't know how we're going to explain this to anyone who might ask and-" 

"Alexander," Magnus interrupted, reaching out with his free hand to press his fingertips to Alec's lips. "Can we backtrack to the part where you just said you want to adopt Max with me?" 

Alec nodded, looking down at Magnus' fingers, then back up to meet his eyes. 

"Okay," Magnus said. "You, you want us to adopt Max?" 

"I," Alec swallowed. "I know it's been a few decades since we talked about kids, Magnus. But, if you, if you still want them, at some point, like you told me then? I want us to talk about adopting Max." 

Magnus' eyes started to water, and a few more tears escaped as he started to grin. "I..." he cleared his throat. "I have been terrified of this day. The day you tell me that someone else comes to adopt our blueberry, because I don't know if I could willingly give him up." 

Alec's breath caught and he stared at Magnus with wide eyes. "You..." 

"Yes, darling," Magnus said, his voice soft. "I want to adopt Max. With you, if you're willing. We'll, we'll figure everything else out, with the kids, and figuring out how to tell them, and, and..." 

Alec yanked Magnus in for a kiss, happy tears streaking down his cheeks as he kissed Magnus again and again until they were both completely lost to the kisses until Max started to fuss between them. "I love you so much," he whispered, rubbing his thumbs along Magnus' cheeks, before looking down at Max, kissing the top of his head. "Both of you." 

Magnus let out a hoarse laugh, even as he returned the words and stepped into the circle of Alec's arms again, letting Alec hold them both close as he kept Max cradled against his chest. "Catarina is going to give us endless amounts of shit for this, you know that right?" 

Alec huffed and smiled. "I do. I think Madzie is going to be surprised it took me this long." 

Magnus grinned at him and kissed him again. "I think your siblings are just going to be glad that they are finally uncles and aunts." 

A giggle escaped Alec against his will, even as he looked down at Max again, holding out his finger for the baby to grab onto. "We're going to be ridiculous parents," he admitted. "And we'll need to move Max's room next to ours. And then we'll need to-" 

"Alec?" Magnus interrupted. "Let me just stand here for five minutes and enjoy this, okay?" 

Alec laughed and nuzzled into Magnus' hair again with a happy hum. "Okay. Okay, I can do that," he promised, closing his eyes. "Max Lightwood-Bane," he whispered. "Has a rather nice ring to it." 

"I agree," Magnus said, smiling as he leaned against Alec. "I agree." 

~!~ 

A few decades of paperwork mastery meant that Max was adopted in the space of a week, and officially theirs. Max Lightwood-Bane. Magnus handed the paperwork to Catarina with shaking fingers, and they'd both shared more wine and more tears than they would ever admit to, but it was perfect. 

The conversations with each of the kids were harder, but Magnus watched Alec explain to each of them that he would always love them, and that they were always going to be a part of their family. It was true, even if they didn't have paperwork that read as much. He learned, slowly, just how many people Alec had helped, and how many of the kids he stayed in touch with, even if it was only through email, or text. He didn’t abandon any of the kids  _ ever, _ and they always had a home here if they needed it. 

Magnus didn’t realize that it had been almost a year since he had come back until Alec got quiet and sullen. Once he realized the date, it was easy to set up a visit to the cemetery, to bring Alec and Max, and to introduce Maryse to her grandson, and to tell her all about Max. He could see the sadness weighing on Alec, but it was much lighter than it had been before, and it was enough for now. 

Stepping out of the portal in front of the Home after their visit with Maryse, followed by a visit with Alec’s siblings, Magnus watched Alec cuddle Max close as he hurried up the steps and his eyes flickered to the names over the top of the home. He tilted his head. 

“Magnus?” Alec called, turning to look at him. “You okay?” 

Magnus dropped his eyes to Alec and Max, both of them watching him, smiles on their faces and something  _ settled _ in his magic. Something that had always reminded him that he never quite fit, that no one ever wanted to  _ keep _ him, that no one ever wanted anything permanent with him, was suddenly gone in the face of his husband and his  _ son _ staring at him. 

Magnus took a deep breath and drew power into his hand, closing his eyes as he reached out into something he very rarely touched for how dangerous it was - but changing this small piece of reality wouldn’t hurt anything. He lifted his eyes to the sign above Alec’s head and  _ snapped, _ a boom of magic echoing out from his hand, sparks scattering to the wind before it was done. 

Alec looked around, but nothing was different. “Magnus, what did you do?” 

Magnus grinned, bright and wide, and beckoned Alec closer with a finger. “Come here,” he requested, waiting until Alec was standing in front of him. 

“All right, what are we doing?” Alec asked, humming into the kiss Magnus gave him. 

“Close your eyes,” Magnus ordered, glad when Alec obeyed without questioning him. He carefully turned Alec around toward the home. He tilted Alec’s chin up enough so he’d see the sign. 

“Magnus, what are-” 

“Now open,” Magnus ordered, his voice soft. He watched Alec’s eyes flutter open and then Alec froze, going rigid in front of him before his whole body relaxed, and a grin Magnus recognized from their wedding reappeared, his heart pounding at the sight. “Good?” he whispered. 

“Perfect,” Alec breathed, kissing Magnus again. “So perfect, Magnus, thank you.” 

Magnus grinned and pulled back enough to bow. “After you, darling. We do have dinner to make for the kids, after all.” 

Alec laughed and headed into the house, holding open the door for Magnus. 

Magnus grinned and followed behind him, his eyes flicking up to take in the sign again... 

**The Lightwood-Bane Children’s Home**

...before dropping back down to the sight of Alexander and Max, both smiling at him. 

Perfect certainly was the right word for it. 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Criticisms welcome!
> 
> Come join a Multifandom Discord Server -  
> [The Fandom Playhouse!](https://discord.gg/82pvdE39fD)
> 
> You can find me here:  
> [AriaLerendeair](http://arialerendeair.tumblr.com/)
> 
> And on twitter over here:  
> [Aria_Lerendeair](https://twitter.com/Aria_Lerendeair)


End file.
